Automobile lighting and signal system



May 25, 1937. J. c. FORD 2,081,892

AUTOMOBILE LIGHTING AND SIGNAL SYSTEM Filed may 6, 1955 2 Y I 74 7 6 4' mi a &Z7 A 4 44 r G n; I 92 wt V l 4v I v 7 M 7 Patented May 25, 1937 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE AUTOMOBILE. LIGHTING AND SIGNAL SYSTEM 2 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in automobile lighting and signaling systems, but particularly to the switch control mechanism by means of which the operation of the direction indicating signals is accomplished.

The primary object of this invention is to provide a switch for attachment to a pedal of an automobile, which switch will reliably accomplish at option the operation of the direction control and other lights, and which switch will not interfere with the independent operation of the pedal itself.

The means by which these and other objects are accomplished, and the manner of their accomplishment will be readily understood from the following description on reference to the accompanying drawing, in which,

Fig. 1 is a side elevation showing the casing of the direction control switch mounted on a foot pedal.

Fig. 2 is a view of the switch looking in the direction of the arrow 2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view of the switch taken on the line IIIIII of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken as on the line IVIV of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary sectional plan taken as on the line VV of Fig. 3.

Fig. 6 is a sectional plan taken on the line VI-VI of Fig. 3; and

Fig. 7 is a diagrammatic view showing the wiring system of the lights and the controls therefor.

Referring now to the drawing in which the various parts are indicated by numerals, I2 is one of the foot pedals of the automobile to which is secured a directional-signal control-switch l3. 25-25 are right and left hand head-light bulbs and 2929 an additional pair of headlight bulbs similarly right and left. 30L and 30B are respectively right and left hand signal bulbs at the front of the car and 41L and 41B. corresponding signal bulbs at the rear of the car. 49 is a tail light.

The directional control switch l3 comprises a casing 69, which is secured to the foot pedal |2 and its shank 6|, as by screws 62 and a clamp 63. Mounted within the casing 60 are metal strips 64, 65 each secured as by bolts 66 to a member 61 of insulating material such as bakelite. These strips carry contact points 68L, 68R. From the contact point 68L, a wire 43L connects to the front directional signal bulb 30L and a connected wire 50L to the rear directional signal bulb 41L, and from the contact point 68R a wire 43R connects to the front directional signal bulb 36B. and a connected wire 59R to the rear directional signal bulb 41R.

Also mounted within the casing 59 is a metal strip secured as by a bolt H to the insulating member 61 which strip carries contacts l2L, 12R and a third strip 13 similarly secured to the insulating member and carrying contacts MR and ML. The contacts 12L and 12R. are jointly connected by a wire to a battery 16 or other source of current. From this battery also a wire 'l'l leads to a hand operated switch 44. The wire 5! from the tail light 40 leads to both of the contacts 14R and ML. Depress'ibly mounted in the casing 60 as on a horizontally disposed bolt 86 are arms BIL, 8|R, which are resiliently supported as by a spring 82. Portions 83L, 83R of the arms 8|L, BIR respectively extend upward through the top of the casing 60 and are jointly secured to a transverse pressure bar 84 as by screws 85. Secured to the arm 8 IL but insulated therefrom as by insulation 86 is a contact bar 81L which lies above all three of the contacts 68L, 12L and ML, and a similar bar 81B, is similarly carried by the arm SIR.

The manual switch 44 has three contacts 9%, 9| and 92 a wire 52 from, the tail light 49 leading to the first of these contacts. Circuit wires. 93 lead from the contact 9| to the head light bulbs 25 and circuit wires 94 from the contact 92 to the headlight bulbs 29. 95 is a manually movable contact bar connected through the wire TI to the battery 16 and adapted to contact with each of the contact points 90, 9| and 92 in succession. An extension 96 of the bar permits contact to be maintained with all three of the contacts 90, 9| and 92 as the bar is progressively moved forward.

In using the device the contact bar may be shifted into engagement with the contact 90 to put on the tail light 49 as for parking. The bar may further be shifted into engagement with the contact 9| to turn on the head lights 25 while maintaining contact with the tail light or it may further be shifted to bring in the headlights 29 in addition.

The use of the directional signal is not dependent on the use: of the head light system and irrespective of whether such head lights and tail lights are turned on may be used. To use the directional signal, with the foot on the pedal |2 the left end of the bar 84, or the right end of the bar 84, as may be desired, is depressed by the forward portion of the foot, dependent on whether a turn is to be made to the left or the right. De-

pression of the left hand side depresses the contact bar 81L into engagement with the contacts 68L, 12L and ML closing thecircuit from the battery 16 to the front signal bulb 30L through the circuits 43L, ML and to the tail light 49 through the circuit 5|. Similar action for the right signal lights and the tail light is accomplished by pressure on the right end of the bar 84.

Should it be desired to indicate a stop, the entire bar 84 is depressed and all four signal lights as well as the tail lights are turned on.

What I claim is:

1. A switch for an automobile having a foot pedal, said switch including an enclosing casing rigidly attached to said pedal, and having a top forming a foot-contacting portion relatively immovable with regard to said pedal; said casing enclosing, a base of insulating material, two oppositely disposed banks of contacts supported and insulated by said base, a shaft supported by said casing above said base and between said banks of contacts, a pair of arms independently hinged on said shaft and extending oppositely outward, a pair of bus bars, each carried by a said arm and overlying a said bank of contacts, spring means supporting said arms to hold said bus bars free from said contacts; posts, respectively projecting each from a said arm through and above said top, and a bar external to said casing having its opposite ends secured each to a said post, said bar being depressible relative to said casing to optionally engage either or both of said bus bars with its or their respective contacts.

2. In directional signal actuating means for an automobile, having directional signal devices, and a foot pedal, which includes a shank and a foot portion carried thereby, control means including a housing having an integral rearwardly projecting plate and rearwardly projecting clamping means spaced from said plate, the surface of said plate forming a rearward continuation of the surface of said housing and said plate being adapted to rigidly overlie said pedal foot-portion, said clamping means being adapted to engage and be rigidly secured to said pedal shank, said housing being thereby rigidly supported forwardly of said pedal, said housing enclosing signal-actuating contact-means and having adjacent its forward edge a resiliently supported bar spaced above the top of said housing and operably connected through said top with said contact means, said plate forming a support whereby to permit an autoists foot to rest on said pedal without actuation of said signals.

JULIUS C. FORD. 

